Apparatus for charging gas-retorts.



FIG.

H. BIRD.

APPARATUS FOR CHARGlNG GAS RETORTS.

APPLICATION HLED AUG.26, I916.

Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

4 SHEETSSHEET I.

H. BIBD. APPARATUS FOR CHARGING GAS RETORTS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-26,1916.

1,256,656. Patented Feb.19,1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Zia WW H. BIRD.

APPARATUS FOR CHARGlNG GAS RETORTS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-26, I916.

Patented Feb. 19,1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

H BIRD.

APPARATUS-FOR CHARGING GAS RETORTS.

' APPLICATION FILED AUG-26.1916. I 1,256,650. Patented Feb. 19,1918.

4 SHEETSQSHEET 4.

ZZM'

mean s'ra'rns Parana snares.

HERBERT BIRD,

0F READING, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR CHARGING G AS-RETORTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 19; 191 8..

Application filedAugustfiG, 1916. Serial No. 117,033.

transversely of, the retort house, and. to. be

raised and lowered and swung horizontally on a pivot so as to be-readily filled with coal. and inserted in the retort, the coal beingheld. inthe retort while the shell ofthe scoop. is withdrawn.

In apparatus. for charginggretorts, of the type in which the. scoop is mounted on a carriage adapted to run. on the floor of the retort house it has been. proposed. to put: the scoop intov the retort. by means of a rack disposed beneath the scoop..

The object of. thisinvention is to provide.

an improved apparatus of the suspended. type in which a longitudinalrack is disposed. on the underside of the. scoop.

Referring to the accompanying. drawmes:-

Figures 1 and. 1 show an end view of. one, form of apparatus made in accordancenvith this invention;

Fig. 1 is .anenlargedview of therack andchannel;

Figs. 2 and 2%? show a side elevationof the apparatusshown in Figs. 1. and. 1

Fig 3: is a, plan showing holding dogs, drum, and automatic changing, gearg.

Fig. l. is a detail showing the; rack;

Figgois a. cross-section showing reversing gear. and. winding drum;

Fig. Gis a part-,planshowing. clutch-operating device;

Fi g; 7 v is, a, partplan showingtlie pivotal; mounting of theverticalframe Eiga8 .isa perspectivewiew ofthesliding? ftameadapted. to. hold the coal in the. retent ,wh'en. thescoop is a being withdrawn;

M Fig. S-isapart; elevation; and

Fig. 1.0.. is a. part; plan, I showing the man'- nerinwhieh the-sliding; frame is held.

Fig. 13,- is HellOIlZOIlttll section of-'Eig. .2 showing hand. operating gear;

horizontal. frame a of the machine is sup,- ported on a cradle b. The horizontal frame may consist of two channel beams c c suitably spaced apart. The cradle b and hori zontal frame a are disposed between four members (Z cl (Z cl of a vertical frame. The four members'cl cl of. the vertical frame are fixed at the upper endof a casting cl shownon plan in- Fig. 7., which issuspended from a similar casting d by a pivot bolt d? in such manner that the said casting (Z and vertical frame attached and the whole machine, below the casting (Z can turn in a horizontal plane to any desired angle. To a the casting. (Z2 are attached the sides ofa traveler carrying. travelingwheels and axles. The vertical frame acts as a guide to the cradle. b or. horizontal frame a and pivotally connected to the: traveler a soy as. to-pei'mit of itsbeing turned in a. horizontal.

plane, andcarriesat its upper end two-pulleys f f operated by a hand. wheelg, throughv a worm hand worm wheel 7', bevel gearing 7c: and.shafting-m.v The cradle b and llOllZOI1-- talframe a are suspended by ropes n a which pass over these pulleys f f and are.

counter-balanced by the weight 0. Upon the vertical frame d d is. mounted vertical shafting p for operating the scoop by means of thehand wheel 9. Between the shafts m and p and. in line therewith is an intermediate shaft 79 provided with a short feather and carrying a clutch. p rotating therewith and; adapted to slide thereon. Loosely mounted on the shaft 10, are two bevel wheels 70. is, adapted to. beconnected to and disconnected. from the shaft by the clutch device 70.; Gearing with". the bevelv pinions his is a bevel-pinion is" mounted on:

ashortshaft 9?. The handwheel g; is. pro+ videdz with a; boss g which: is keyed; at git to. the shaft. 9. .1 The shaft 93 is; mounted on a bearing; 9 which. extends. from: the bracket 9 The shaft- 79. is adapted to be connected eithertogtheshaft m; or to theshafti p by the clutchesp p adapted to. be: operated in: any" well. known manner...

When I hand: wheel g is coimeeteditn: drive m ths lifting; and loweringofrthascoop;and horizontal. frame; is accomplished. through worm. handl worm j. and. pulleys; f. f; Figs. L, keyed: to; the; same shaft: as. worm; h",. which shaft. runsgin; roller; hearings in. casting. (lit; Fig.1 l. Whemhand: Wheel; 9'. is connected".tov drives 32,. the; gear: wheels; 325-; drive. venticalv shaft 25, see Figs. 2 and 3, and, through miter wheels 6 the main shaft 6 On this main shaft is keyed a chain sprocket wheel t adapted to drive through the pitch chain 25 the sprocket wheel 7, shaft 1 pinion w and spur wheel '12, which actuates the rack fixed to the underside of the scoop. The miter wheel on vertical shaft t has a keyway sliding easily upon a long feather fixed to the shaft, to accommodate the varying height of frame a. The horizontal frame a carries shafting q 1' s t, gear wheels 1; w :0, clutch mechanism y, reversing gear and winding drum 2. On cradle b of the horizontal frame a are rollers 3 3 3 3 which work in the vertical guides and other rollers 4c 4 5 5 on which the scoop 6 travels. The scoop is provided on its underside with a longitudinal rack 7, formed of bars 7 which is adapted to be operated by the toothed wheel 41 mounted on the shaft Q disposed on the horizontal frame. The upper edges of the scoop 6 are flanged as at 8 or otherwise formed tocarry a sliding frame 9 9 on which are pivoted flaps 10, 11, 12, one being at the forward end and one or more intermediate of its length. The sliding frame 9 consists of two light channel irons 9 into the grooves of which the flanged edges of the scoop project, held together by three or more cross angle irons 9 on which are hinged the flaps 10, 11, 12, Fig. 8. These flaps are flanged or bent back at the sides as at 10, 11 12*, Fig. 8, so'that they can only turn on their hinges in one direction, that is, while the frame 9 is being withdrawn from the retort, but will hold the coal in the retort when the scoop is withdrawn. \Vhen the scoop isbeing withdrawn, the frame 9 is held stationary by the pawl H and notches 1-1 in channel 14. The channel 14 is provided at its rear end with a dead eye 14. The channel irons 0 0 are provided with brackets c, 0. A pin 0 passes through the dead eye 14 and supports the channel 14. The top edges 10 11 and 12 of the flanged sides of the flaps bear against the cross angle irons 9 supporting them so forming stops to retain the flapsin a vertical position against the pressure ofthe coal which, but for the resistance of the flaps, would be drawn out with the scoop. The rear end of the scoop is closed by a plate 13. The plates 11, 12 and 13 are notched, 11 '12" and 13", see Fig. 8, at the base to allow them to pass along the channel 14 which extends into the scoop. The channel 14 is attached at its rear end to the channel irons c .by brackets 0 and pin 0 which passes through a dead eye mounted on the rear end of channel 14. The front end of the channel 11 is provided with notches 14 The back end of the sliding frame 9 is provided with a pawl which is adapted to engage 1n sald notches disposed on the longitudinal channel 1 1. The rear end of the sliding frame 9 is connected to the winding drum 2 by a steel rope Orchain 15. The rope or chain 15 is utilized for the purpose of lifting the pawl out of engagement with the notches in the channel 1-]: when a strain is put on the rope for the purpose of withdrawing the sliding frame 9, and for this purpose the rope 15 is passed through an eye in the pawl, the arrangement being such that when the rope is slack, the pawl falls into the notches but when tight the pawl is lifted out of the notches. Means for locking the apparatus rigidly to the front of the retort when the apparatus is in use comprises dogs 16 suitably pivoted and operated by a bent lever 17 through rods 18.

On the side and at the rear end of the channel 0 is pivoted a catch 20 adapted to engage a projection 21 on the rod 22. The rod 22 when retained by the projection 21 is pressed longitudinally by the spring 23. On the catch 20 is an inclined plane 20.

The clutch 3/ is normally in a position for traversing the scoop in and out of the retort. This clutch is adapted to be operated. by rod 22, see Figs. 3' and 6. The rod 22 is held in position by catch 20 pivoted on one of the channel beams 0, one arm of the catch 20 engaging a projection 21 on the rod 22. Spring 23 tends to push the rod 22 endwise to shift the clutch 3 from a position to operate the scoop to a position to operate the sliding frame 9. The lever 20 has a cam or inclined plane 20' which is adapted to be struck by the scoop when retracted and to lift the other end of the lever out of engagement with the projection 21. i

In operation the scoop 6 is filled with coal It is then from a hopper 19 or otherwise. traversed to any desired position of the retort house by means of the traveling crane. It is then raised or lowered to the level of the retort month by means of thecentral hand wheel g and swung on its pivot to a position to enter the mouth of the retort. Many of the retort houses are cramped and. the ability to rotate the scoop facilities the handling of the machine. The end of the scoop 6 is then run into the mouth of the retort as far as the horizontal frame a will permit; the scoop 6 and sliding frame 9 are then traversed forward by rack 7 and gear 12 operated by the central hand wheel 7. The scoop 6 is then withdrawn by operating the handle 9 in the reverse direction or by reversing the gear is, leaving the coal and the sliding frame 9 in the retort. After the scoop has been withdrawn the sliding frame 9 is retracted. When the scoop strikes the inclined plane 20 the catch 20 is raised above the projection 21 on the rod 22. The spring 23 forces the rod 22 endwise and automatically throws the clutch y out of the gear operating the scoop into thegear operating the sliding frame 9, so that when the handle 9 is further rotated, tension is placed on the wire rope 15 which automaticallv lifts the pawl 14 from the notches la in channel 14 and allows the sliding frame 9 to be withdrawn, to a position ready to be reloaded, leaving the coal in the retort.

The flaps rise as the sliding frame is withdrawn and pass over the surface of the coal to level it.

In some cases a rack 24 may be fixed at the end of the sliding frame 9 so that the sliding frame may be pushed forward while the scoop remains stationary What I claim and desire to secure. by Letters Patent is- 1. Apparatu for charging gas retorts comprising a cradle, a scoop mounted on said cradle, means for moving said cradle longitudinally and transversely of the retort house, means for raising, lowering and rotating said cradle, horizontallv, means for projecting and retracting said scoop relatively to said cradle, said means comprising a frame attached to the cradle, a toothed wheel mounted on a shaft on said frame, means for rotating said shaft, rollers on said frame on which the said scoop is supported, a rack disposed below said scoop and attached thereto, said rack being adapted to engage said toothed wheel.

2. Apparatus for charging gas retorts comprising a cradle, a scoop mounted on said cradle, means for moving said cradle longitudinally and transversely of the retort house, means for raising, lowering and rotating said cradle, horizontally, means for projecting and retracting said scoop relatively to said cradle, said means comprising a frame attached to the cradle, a toothed wheel mounted on a shaft on said frame, means for rotating said shaft, rollers on said frame on wh ch the said scoop is supported, a rack disposed below said scoop and attached thereto, said rack being adapted to engage said toothed wheel, a sliding frame mounted on said scoop, pivoted Copies of this patent may be obtained for fiaps on said sliding frame, stops on said flaps so disposed that said flaps will not turn on their pivots when the scoop is withdrawn, means for projecting said sliding frame with said scoop into the retort, means for leaving said sliding frame in the retort until after the said scoop has been withdrawn, and means for retracting said frame.

3. Apparatus for charging gas retorts comprising a cradle, a scoop mounted on said cradle, means for moving said cradle longitudinally and transversely of the retort house, means for raising, lowering and rotating said cradle horizontally, means for projecting and retracting said scoop rela tively to aid cradle, said means comprising a frame attached to the cradle, a toothed wheel mounted on a shaft on said frame, means for rotating said shaft, rollers on said frame on which the said scoop is supported, a rack disposed below said scoop and attached thereto, said rack being adapted to engage said toothed wheel, a sliding frame mounted on said scoop, pivoted flaps on said sliding frame, stop on said flaps so disposed that said flaps will not turn on their pivots when the scoop is withdrawn, means for projecting said sliding frame with said scoop into the retort, means for leaving said sliding frame in the retort until after the said scoop has been Withdrawn, means for retracting said frame, said means comprising a winding drum mounted on a shaft on said frame and a wire leading from the said drum to the rear end of the said sliding frame, and automatic means for throwing the winding drum into action to retract the sliding frame as soon as the said scoop has been withdrawn.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HERBERT BIRD.

/Vitnesses ARGHIBALD GRANVILLE SIMS, REGINALD EATON ELLIS.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latents,

Washington, D. G. 

